A prelude
by Ironstar
Summary: The beginning of a young mage's life. From the World of Warcraft the young man finds a little of himself and a little of the world in this first part of his long collection of adventures.
1. A prelude

Baraccus Collamore, aspiring mage. A mind like a tack; a tongue of honey.

The soles of his worn slippers shuffled through the dirt oblivious to the looming towers of Stormwind that couldn't be too far off now. The human capital had been his goal from the start of his long trek. Since he had left his home (the gray-haired teen would only call it his "house," because home is where the heart is, and his heart was nowhere near there).

A long way from home and happy to be there. Bartering the few trinkets and goods he had to feed and shelter himself along the way, Bara had learned a lot about people outside of where he grew up, and how the world worked, when you are your only boss; he loved it. Most of his encounters were neutral, sometimes even pleasant.

People were more apt to help when approached in a civilized adult manner, rather than the begging and sniveling they usually heard from other child solider hopefuls and loaners like himself.

He left his "camp", which consisted of his long coat covering him on the downwind side of a large tree, just outside of Redridge. The day seemed brighter than it probably was.

At the sight of a Stormwind guard, his enduring mindset and pace became determined once again. The guard gave him a quick glance and a slight nod as a good morning. Baraccus returned the nod with a little disappointment. He wanted to shake the man's hand and thank him for the wonderful day that the gaurd had started. But the mage knew that it would be inappropriate and he would probably get stabbed for trying to touch him.

Everything felt better, his woolen purple robe was brighter and softer then it had ever been. The air was sweeter, the sun was warmer. Most would say that it was all in his head, and that all of those things were his imagination. Baraccus would agree and smugly reply, "Everything is in our heads; no one thinks with their feet."

"Morning young man." A taller guard said loudly from the opposite side of a small bridge Bara was just stepping onto.

"Good morning, Sir. How are you?" the mage said in his normal "I-think-like-an-adult-so-treat-me-like-one" voice.

As he came to the end of the bridge the guard, who seemed to be of a slightly higher rank than the first by his demeanor, stepped toward him."What brings someone of your age out so far into the forest?" he asked casually.

Baraccus pulled his pack higher on his back and replied, "I am on my way to Stormwind, to see Archmage Malin. I am going to see if he will train me."

"I'll give it to ya, son. You don't look like much, but you got the heart of a mage. The manhood of one, too, if you're going straight to Malin."

He said this with a big smile and a small chuckle. "He isn't too accepting of someone of your stature coming straight to him." The guard took a breath and thought for a second "Normally I wouldn't give a boar's behind about someone so young, especially a mage. But I like you. Word of advice, talk to General Marcus Jonathan. He'll probably be just inside the city gates. Get registered through him, go through basics, and work your way to Malin."

He expected this response. However, it was unacceptable. Baraccus Collamore was a mage, a soon to be damn good one. Going trough the proper channels was a waste of time, and he didn't waste time. He was a straight shooter and had the intelligence to back up his high hopes.

"I appreciate your advice, Sir," he replied sincerely. "But I can't waste my time with that. I've waited my life for this opportunity. Basics won't teach me anything about life, the war, or anything else children my age need to know."

He would now get one of two responses: one, the man would harrumph and tell him that he was too big for his britches, and he wasn't going to waste his time anymore.

Or, he would become outright rude, and call him a snot-nosed brat and wish something horrible on him.

The first good, no, _cherished_ moment in this young mage's life reached out to him. The guard's outstretched hand hung in the air a moment before the boy realized what he was doing. He shook the man's hand and a small sense of pride washed into him to join the puzzlement that was already there.

"Good to meet you, Mister...?" the guard lingered.

"Collamore, Baraccus Collamore," Baraccus replied with more enthusiasm then he had intended.

"...Collamore," the guard finished. "I wish you luck, young one. We need more people with that attitude." He ended with a nod and let go.

"Thank you," was all he could say. A warm tingle in his gut was rising, and it was a good feeling. With a final nod, Baraccus turned down the road toward Stormwind with a new sense of confidence and reassurance he had been lacking for a long time.


	2. Approval

Approval

"Good morning Archmage Malin." Baraccus greeted the great mage with confidence. The same confidence that he based his decision to come directly to him instead of going to General Marcus Johnathan like he had been instructed. The Archmage glanced toward the young mage and in an instant Baraccus knew that he had already been weighed and measured by the quick intense mind of such a great mage.

"Yes, it is." Is all he replied and went back to the book he was reading. Baraccus stepped into the shade of the tree that the mage was standing under and extended his hand.

"I am Baraccus Collamore and I wish to study under you sir." The young mage stated not with a tone of a question or request but as a fact and there was no need for a response.

The Archmage smiled slightly and gestured to the ground below him next to the tree. "Your completely welcome to. As long as you don't bug me."

Baraccus cursed himself for stating the question the way he did, opening himself up for such sarcasm. He wasn't being taken seriously. He truly had been weighed and measured, and he had come up short. He didn't expect the encounter to go this way. He figured that the Archmage would have some outlandish test that no one of his age and lack of training would be able to do. He was confident that even if he could not complete the test he would be able to show off his skill and intelligence enough to get his foot in the door.

He had to think fast, every second he lingered like an idiot his chances of success dwindled.

Retreat and regroup would be best. Coming up with a solid plan after seeing what type of man Malin was would have a higher chance of success then some crazy showing of his skill or intelligence. Any spell that he could pull off with confidence would most likely be no more then a parlor trick to such a great man.

"Thank you for your time." He stated as he pulled back his hand. This simple statement puzzled the Archmage enough for him to look up from his book. Maybe it was that most kids would either beg or do what Baraccus just advised himself against and try to show off.

The boy turned and began walking away toward the trade district of town to get a bite to eat and come up with a new plan. A group of female mages in training walked passed him bickering over the intricacy's of an arcane spell that Baraccus not only knew but liked very much.

"When the magic wanes you must pull it back at the precise second that it begins its recoil so that you don't lose the stability and hurt yourself." One of the girls said to the other two explaining why they both ended up hurting themselves the last time they tried.

She was wrong. What she explained was how the spell was generally practiced but still wrong. From the description the spell that they were discussing was called an arcane blast. An explosion of pure energy that you could swing and release when it reached your target but keeping hold of it and pull it back toward you. Using its momentum to swing again and again increasing its power. The downside was that it was very hard to control and draining.

"I hate to interrupt." Baraccus said as he stepped toward them. "I am again sorry for just barging in but the spell you were just discussing can be better executed if, instead of pulling it back you let the magic continue its arc. It has to travel further but the amount of power it gains and the less energy you have to use easily compensates for the time lost." He smiled and started to turn away happy to help some other aspiring mages in their quest.

"Hold on." One of the other girls called to him. He looked back and noticed that it was the most attractive one. Her looks caught him up for a second before he replied

"Yes?" He asked as he stopped and turned

"You can't let it follow its arc. If you don't get a hold of it before it comes back it will come back too fast for you to redirect." She said probably to satisfy her superior who had just said the same thing. He figured she didn't care about his opinion or ideas with how young he was. She only used him to show off. No matter, Baraccus had always prided himself on being an opportunist and a quick thinker. He could use opportunity to show his prowess in the arcane arts without looking like he is trying to impress anyone. Malin was most likely watching, keeping an ear out at least.

"Most would think so but watch." He said as he sat his pack down. The other girls both turned toward him. He shook off all thoughts and feelings and found that spot in his gut that he drew magic from. He seen a pine cone on the ground not far from him and decided to make it his prey. Grabbing a small bit of power, he drew it through his body and toward is right hand. Relaxing his left in anticipation to redirect the magic that would be flying back at him in a moment. As the tingle of magic creped through his arm gaining speed. He traced its path out of his arm out into the air through the pine cone and back to his other hand. He stiffened his arm and propelled the spec of magic in the arc that he laid out for it. Just before it struck he tensed, fluctuating its current making it pop. The cone jumped into the air and the small bit of magic sped up and flung out from the pine cone. Instead of grabbing it and pulling it like the girls had said he let the magic flow and let it fly back around toward him.

Just as it was about to hit his left hand he grabbed it. From the pit of his stomach he drew power up and became the master of this small bit of magic that was attempting to stray. Through his body he added more power and let it fly again. With the pine cone in midair he aimed just below it and let it fall into the path of his magic. The mage tensed again. This time the explosion was big enough to startle the 3 girls a bit. The pine cone soared into the air and before it got to far Baraccus drew in the heat around him and imagined his body heating up. The arcane magic soared back to him with great speed. As it hit him he focused all of its power and all of the heat he had drawn in directly into the pine cone. A burst of flame like a small bomb erupted from his target and it disintegrated.

The superior of the three girls raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. The other two were to stunned to react, they just stared where the pine cone used to be in the air.

"Sorry for the last part I would have shown you again but it got to far for me to be able throw it back." He said apologetically.

"Very impressive kid." The superior said with a nod. "And thank you for your advice." She added.

He smiled in response to her and looked at the attractive one of the group who had now composed herself and was smiling at him. He shot her a wink not in cockiness or in hopes of getting anywhere with her but because he knew that he would either get a giggle or a laugh out of her. Either way was fine with him he liked to make people happy.

She winked back, to his surprise, and blew him a kiss. This threw the mage off all he could do was smile and fight back the blood rushing to his face. He picked up his pack and turned to leave.

"Kid." Malin shouted from his shady spot. "Bright and early tomorrow, dawn. I want you here when the sun comes up."

When Baraccus looked back the Archmage's nose was already back in his book and he wondered if he had even looked up. "Yes Master Malin." He replied. He lost the fight with the blood that was creeping up his body. Fighting the urge to jump and cheer was more important.


End file.
